Mount Allison's first athletic association was created in 1884 by students of the University who called it the Athletic Club. Before that there had been no structured attempt to encourage and promote the growth of sports and games at Mount Allison. The University did not have a gymnasium at that time (the first gymnasium burned down in 1883) so the Athletic Club focused its attention on outdoor sports and games such as cricket, rugby football, track and field, and hockey.
The club held annual meetings and elected new officers each year. Its early tasks were to secure sports equipment, organize sports contests, raise funds, and oversee the growth of athletics at the University.
In 1901 the Athletic Club revised its constitution and by-laws and became known as the Mount Allison Amateur Athletic Association (MAAAA). Its goal was reported in The Argosy (April 1901) as "the promotion of athletic sports." Officers of the MAAAA were elected by secret ballot. Varsity team captains were also elected by the association, first in rugby football (1901), and later baseball (1904), hockey (1904), track and field (1904), association football (1911), and basketball (1912). The MAAAA held annual banquets for rugby football players. In April 1909 it held its first annual banquet for athletes of all sports.
Nelson Beckwith, Jr., built the Tantramar Skating Rink in 1876 and owned it until January 1889 when Mount Allison students bought stock in the business, established the Mount Allison Rink Association, and took over management of it. This enabled students to have more access to the rink for skating and other entertainment such as 'Band Nights.' Students were able to sell their stock and opt out of management of the rink if they wished.
After two years the Rink Association saw an increase in the number of people visiting the rink both from Mount Allison and from the town. Unfortunately, the rink was destroyed by fire in the autumn of 1893, and the Rink Association dissolved before a new town rink was built in 1896.
On 16 February 1909 the Mount Allison Ladies' Athletic Association was instituted during a meeting chaired by Ladies' College student Eva North. The association covered female athletics at both the University and Ladies' College. Its stated aim was reported in Allisonia (April 1909)as follows:
"... to interest as many of the girls as possible in athletics and to keep them interested by a regular system of games in hockey, basket-ball, tennis and other sports; arrangements will be made for tournaments in the spring and fall." [1]
The Ladies' Athletic Association was credited with organizing Mount Allison's first women's intercollegiate basketball match in October 1910 [2], and with the construction of new tennis courts in May 1912. [3]